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Should retirees invest in managed funds?
Full dependence on retirement income from superannuation can deplete a retiree’s super balance at a faster rate than might suit that individual, which is why it’s important to consider investing, even through retirement.

Should retirees invest in managed funds?
Full dependence on retirement income from superannuation can deplete a retiree’s super balance at a faster rate than might suit that individual, which is why it’s important to consider investing, even through retirement.

Choosing the right type of investment may prove critical given their circumstances but experts suggest that retirees should consider less risky investments. Retirees may wish to consider professionally managed funds – but are managed funds good for retirees?
What do retirees need?
The first thing everyone needs to consider before investing at any age is to know their objectives—and this still applies to retirees.
For retirees who are already reaping the rewards of their life-long work, the objective is most likely to ensure that their remaining income stays intact. However, their invested money should ideally remain open capital growth to cancel out the effects of inflation or earn above it.
To ensure capital preservation, retirees should steer clear of investments that have a high exposure to volatility and managed funds that use aggressive strategies for capital growth. One of the options they may consider is to invest in retiree managed funds.
Are managed funds safer than other investments?
Managed funds are pooled investment schemes that allow even beginner investors to own shares in a professionally managed pool of investment assets.
Just like any investment available in the market, managed funds are exposed to various risks. The safety of a managed fund may depend on its underlying assets and the strategies the fund manager employs, but it is still the investor’s choice whether to expose their money to greater risks.
Should retirees invest in managed funds?
Not all retirees are knowledgeable about the investment market and few have time or patience to demystify it. But simply locking their money in a term deposit—a popular choice among retirees— may not be ideal as inflation could quickly outpace any income derived from interest payments.
For retirees who don’t want additional work of building their own retirement investment portfolio from scratch and managing everything on their own, it may be more suitable to invest in managed funds.
Managed funds simplify things for investors by allowing them to invest in a diversified pool of assets—investors only need to make a choice based on their objectives. Retirees may wish to consider investing their money in balanced or conservative funds that minimise risk by focusing on capital preservation.
But Australia’s managed funds industry is quite active with over 800 active funds – worth a combined $3.59 billion funds under management – as at March 2019. This means selecting one or even a handful may prove difficult.
Retirees are advised to consult a licensed investment professional who can take their objectives and current circumstances into consideration before recommending an appropriate fund.
Explore Nest Egg for more tips about investing in retirement.
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